The first national observance of the holiday was on November 11, 1919, when it was known as Armistice Day. It was officially renamed and first celebrated as Veterans Day on November 11, 1954, to honor veterans of all U.S. wars, not just World War I.
The origin lies in the armistice that ended World War I, which took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day to reflect on the heroism of those who died in the countrys service. In 1938, an Act of Congress made it a legal federal holiday dedicated to the cause of world peace. Following World War II and the Korean War, which involved a much larger mobilization of service members, veterans' organizations urged a change. On June 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that amended the 1938 act by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans."
This legislative change fundamentally altered the holiday's focus. It expanded from a commemoration of the end of World War I and its veterans to a comprehensive day of recognition for all American veterans, regardless of the conflict or era in which they served. This ensures that the contributions and sacrifices of living veterans, as well as those who have passed, are formally acknowledged by the nation each year on November 11th.
